Sprint Track on existing Track

[Gary Gray]

Hi guys new to BTB so please be patient :embarrassed:

I have created a local track for rfactor which is working perfectly. Now I want to add different configurations for the sprint events and rally stages at this track.

I have a few questions:

1. How do setup a point to point config on an existing track for rally stages?

2. Is there a way to have cars start in intervals (30 secs or so) for bothe sprints and rally stages?

3. How do you get the timer to start as soon as you cross the start line (NO outlap).

Any info appreciated :embarrassed:

Gary

 

[mianiak]

1 & 3. You need an extra set of xsector1, xsector2.and xfinish.
Lets call them, xsector1001, xsector2002 and xfinish1001.

You need to place them before the start line in this order,
xsector1001, xsector2002 and xfinish1001 with xfinish1001 right on the start line.
You need to pass through xsector1001 and xsector2002 before you pass through xfinish1001. Passing through the 2 checkpoints will cause the timer to trigger when you pass xfinish1001.

You can make them with walls If you like, just make it one plane but make it large enough to cover the area.

Do you have 3DSimED? if not, you can use a 20 day demo.
After you have exported your track open the scn file up in 3DSimED right click each of the 3 wall's you put in as timing gates and note the name of the gmt file. *DO NOT export anything 3DSimED

Go into your project folder and locate these gmt files, rename them to xsector1001.gmt, xsector2002.gmt and xfinish1001.gmt.

Go into the scn file and locate the instance of these walls (with their original name) and delete them from the scn file.

Go down to the bottom of the scn and find the default xsector1, xsector2 and xfinish. copy the line in each instance and paste it into the section so you have 2 lines the same on all 3.
Then add 1001 to the end of the xfinish you copied and pasted, 001 to the end of xsector1 and 002 to the end of xsector2.

You start with this

Instance=xfinish 
{ 
  Render=False  
  Change=False  
  MeshFile=xfinish.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False 
  Response=VEHICLE,TIMING 
} 
 
Instance=xsector1 
{ 
  Render=False  
  Change=False  
  MeshFile=xsector1.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False 
  Response=VEHICLE,TIMING 
} 
 
Instance=xsector2 
{ 
  Render=False  
  Change=False  
  MeshFile=xsector2.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False 
  Response=VEHICLE,TIMING 
}

and finish with this

Instance=xfinish 
{ 
  Render=False  
  Change=False  
  MeshFile=xfinish.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False 
  MeshFile=xfinish1001.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False  
  Response=VEHICLE,TIMING 
} 
 
Instance=xsector1 
{ 
  Render=False  
  Change=False  
  MeshFile=xsector1.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False 
  MeshFile=xsector1001.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False  
  Response=VEHICLE,TIMING 
} 
 
Instance=xsector2 
{ 
  Render=False  
  Change=False  
  MeshFile=xsector2.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False 
  MeshFile=xsector2002.gmt CollTarget=True HATTarget=False ShadowReceiver=False  
  Response=VEHICLE,TIMING 
}

Save the scn file and fire it up in game.

If it doesn't work, check your checklist,,
*1. Found names of the gmt files in simed.
*2. Renamed the gmt files to xsecrot1001 etc
*3. Located the instances of the walls in the scn file and delete
*4. Added extra lines to existing xsector entries.


Grab my track Duryea Hillclimb (it's in the downloads section of these forums), look at it in 3DSimED and open the scn file in notepad to see how I have it setup.

I am working on making an XPack with these extra Xsectors and thanks to RT's light's tutorial I think I have now figured out how to do it, which will simplify all this.
Actually, now i think of it, there is probably a way to do this in BTB without having to go to all this trouble, but I can't check right now I am doing a reinstall. But at any rate, by doing it this way, you will learn and understand exactly how it all works

Also, I think there is one extra line that needs to be added to each instance but as I mentioned, I cant check right now. You will be able to see how I did it in Duryea Hillclimb.


As for question 2, when you find out, can you tell me?

 

[lordpantsington]

2. Is there a way to have cars start in intervals (30 secs or so) for both sprints and rally stages?

Nope, not for AI.

We've done this online by having the admin assign start times by the session timer. He would then communicate start times via chat and we'd all line up in queue.

When I was first researching how to get it working I made a start timer that would countdown with animations. Well, animations in rF are not synced between clients so one person's 0, might be someone else's 12, and yet another's 30.


Yes, there is a way to do proper PTP track timing strictly in BTB, but 3dsimed makes it so much easier. (the BTB way is sort of fudged, and if you open some of the "dummy" timing planes in a hex editor you'll see what I mean-the renaming isn't 100% legit)

Wow that was a lot of typing.

Post #8, #10 for BTB only method
http://forum.racedepartment.com/bobs-track-builder/15537-track-time-lap.html

 

[mianiak]

lordpantsington, I took a look at both xfinish and xfinish1001 in my Duryea track in a hex editor, I noticed that the main differences were the textures and the name of the object. I take it that it's the name of the object that matters?
Here are hex dumps of both files.
http://www.3rdgearmotorsports.com/modding/xpacks/xsector1/XSECTOR1.html
http://www.3rdgearmotorsports.com/modding/xpacks/xsector1001/XSECTOR1001.html

 

[lordpantsington]

Yeah that is what I was talking about. It will still work in rfactor. There is something unnerving about the file still having the old name internally. As far as textures that shouldn't matter much. I had never thought of using walls, I assumed the flags for timing were not able to be assigned correctly.

 

[Gary Gray]

Hi guys, eventually got round to doing this and it work perfectly the first time but when I ran the stage again timer doesnt start :frown: what did I do wrong?

 

[lordpantsington]

If you've re-exported your track you may have killed the modified timing planes in the scn, or possibly deleted the gmts. Double check they exist.

 

[Gary Gray]

No I haven't re-exported it and everything seems fine in race but in practice when you return to pits and then start another run the timer doesnt start.

 

[lordpantsington]

When I was doing tests @ Harewood hillclimb trying to figure out how to get this to work that sort of thing happened to me. Turns out I was missing a collision with a timing plane. It was a circuit track. Is yours?

Instead of the "XS1, XS2, XF, XS1, XS2, XF..." pattern I had missed a XS somewhere so immediately when I tagged the next XS rf saw things out of sequence and didn't time the lap correctly. Essentially rF does this:

Test 1:
If collision with XS1=true then goto Test 2
else goto Test 1

Test 2:
If collision with XS2=True goto Time
else goto Test 2

Time:
If collision with XF=True "Do Timer Things" and goto Test 1
else goto Time

Fail one of the tests and it just keeps testing for the same collision.

Keep in mind I do all of my timing plane manipulation in 3dsimed or max. The BTB method might have some sort of unintended consequences. (But Hey! it was working. )

 

[Gary Gray]

I was originally going to have it on a circuit, but to test I built a small rally stage. I will test everything again but as I said it works perfectly in race but not in practice mode which is quite strange

Will let you know.

 

[lordpantsington]

In the past I've turned on the visibility for the timing objects, perhaps that will help you?
If you are using Visgroups for these objects, don't. They can hide gmts in certain sessions.

I reread your comments: Where are the start and end planes for timing?

My guess is that you intend to use the original oval finish line as the end, Make sure it extends across the pitlane.

I still have the feeling you are missing some timing plane somewhere.